Friday, 28 June 2013

WAKATI Watanzania wakiendelea na maombolezo ya wenzao waliopoteza maisha katika shambulizi la bomu kwenye mkutano wa CHADEMA jijini Arusha, mambo mawili makubwa yamejitokeza wiki iliyopita: moja la wazi na jingine ‘lililofichika.’

Tuanze na hilo la pili. Itakumbukwa baada ya shambulio la bomu kanisani jijini Arusha, tulielezwa kwamba Rais Jakaya Kikwete alikatisha ziara yake nchini Kuwait ili kushughulikia janga hilo ikiwa ni pamoja na kuhani misiba ya watu wawili waliofariki (kwa mujibu wa taarifa) na kuwajulia hali majeruhi kadhaa.

Hata hivyo, baadhi yetu tulihoji kama kweli Rais alikatisha ziara hiyo au ilikuwa imefikia ukingoni. Kuhoji kwetu huko hakukuwa na uzito sawa na ukweli kuwa Rais alionyesha kuwajali Watanzania wenzake waliokumbwa na janga hilo.

Safari hii pia, tukio la shambulio la bomu katika mkutano wa CHADEMA lilitokea wakati Rais akiwa nje ya nchi (alikuwa hapa Uingereza kuhudhuria mkutano wa nchi tajiri zaidi duniani za G8). Katika kile kilichoashiria kuwa ameguswa na tukio hilo, alitumia salamu za rambirambi kwa wafiwa na pole kwa majeruhi.

Lakini pamoja na pongezi hizo, katika makala yangu ya wiki iliyopita, moja ya masuala niliyozungumzia ni pamoja na kuhoji kwa nini safari hii Rais ‘hakukatiza ziara’ kama ilivyokuwa katika tukio la shambulio la bomu kanisani huko Arusha.

Nilihoji kama tukio hili la hivi karibuni lililosababisha vifo vya watu wanne hadi sasa (kwa mujibu wa taarifa) lina umuhimu mdogo kulinganisha na lile la awali ambalo lilisababisha vifo vya watu wawili. Huhitaji kufahamu vyema hisabati kuelewa kuwa vifo vya watu wanne ni vingi zaidi ya vifo vya watu wawili japo vyote ni vifo, na hakuna kifo ‘kidogo’ au ‘kikubwa.’

Je, Rais alikatisha ziara huko Kuwait kwa vile tukio la awali lilihusu imani ya kidini kwa maana ya shambulio kufanyika kanisani? Je, Kikwete alifanya hivyo kuepusha hisia kuwa yeye kama Muislam amepuuza vifo na majeraha ya Watanzania Wakristo katika shambulio hilo? Na je, aliporudi nchini na kwenda kuhani na kutoa pole huko Arusha alikuwa na lengo la ‘kuwapoza hasira’ Wakristo hasa ikizingatiwa kuwa bado kulikuwa na kumbukumbu za mauaji ya Padri Evaristus Mushi, Zanzibar?

Ni Kikwete pekee na wasaidizi wake wanaoweza kuwa na majibu ya maswali hayo ya msingi, lakini jambo moja la kusikitisha ni ukweli kuwa hadi ninapoandika makala hii Rais hajatoa mguu jijini Arusha kuhani misiba ya Watanzania wanne waliouawa na kadhaa waliojeruhiwa katika shambulio hilo. Je, Rais ‘amepuuza’ tukio hilo kwa sababu linakihusu CHADEMA?

Pengine ni kuwa na ushauri mbovu wa wasaidizi wake au pengine ni uamuzi wake tu usio sahihi wa kutozuru Arusha hadi muda huu, lakini kimsingi suala hilo linazidi kujenga hisia zisizopendeza kuwa CCM na serikali yake ina chuki kubwa kwa CHADEMA na kila Mtanzania anayejihusisha nayo. Tumeshuhudia Bunge la Jamhuri likiendelea na vikao vyake pasi kujali kuwa taifa lipo msibani, na tumeshuhudia pia baadhi ya viongozi wa serikali na wabunge wa CCM wakipuuza uhai na majeruhi ya Watanzania wenzao waliokuwa waathirika wa shambulio hilo la kigaidi, na kuligeuza hoja muhimu ya kuishambulia CHADEMA.

Na hapa ndipo inabidi tuzungumzie tukio la pili (kama nilivyobainisha mwanzoni mwa makala hii). Wiki iliyopita, Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda alitoa kauli ya ajabu na ya kutisha ya kuliruhusu Jeshi la Polisi kuendelea kuwapiga wananchi wanaoleta vurugu na kuwataka polisi kuwapiga.

Kilichonisikitisha na kunikera zaidi kuhusu kauli hiyo ya Pinda ni ukweli kwamba huko nyuma alilazimika kumwaga chozi bungeni baada ya kukurupuka na kauli isiyo na busara wala kuzingatia utawala wa sheria ya kuruhusu wananchi kuwaua wale wote wanaotuhumiwa kuhusika na vifo vya albino. Hatari ya tamko hilo ni kwamba lingeweza kusababisha vifo vya wananchi wasio na hatia kwa kisingizio cha “uhusika wao katika vifo vya albino.”

Badala ya kushurutishwa ajiuzulu, Watanzania wakalainishwa na machozi ya kinafiki ya kiongozi huyo. Naam, ni machozi ya kinafiki kwa sababu kwa mara nyingine amerejea kosa lile lile lililomfanya amwage chozi bungeni: kuruhusu polisi wavunje sheria kwa kuwapiga (tena zaidi) wananchi kwa kisingizio cha kuwashughulikia wavunja sheria.

Hivi kwa busara zake, polisi hao ambao Pinda anawapa ruhusa ya kuwapiga wananchi watakavyo watakuwa wanatumia kipimo gani kutofautisha mvunja sheria na mwananchi asiye na hatia? Inawezekana, Pinda hajui kuwa Jeshi la Polisi limekuwa likilaumiwa mno kwa matumizi makubwa ya nguvu (ambayo baadhi yamesababisha vifo) hata pale inapohitajika busara tu?

Pinda, anayefahamika kama ‘mtoto wa mkulima, si tu mcha Mungu (angalau kwa mujibu wa mwenendo wake) bali pia kiujuzi ni afisa usalama wa taifa. Inanitatiza sana kuona Pinda atageuka mcha Mungu asiye na huruma kwa Watanzania wenzake watakaoendelea kupigwa na polisi zaidi kutokana na ruhusa waliyopewa na Waziri Mkuu huyo. Pia inanikera mno kuona kiongozi mwenye ujuzi wa usalama wa taifa anapuuza usalama wa raia kwa kuruhusu polisi kuwapiga raia zaidi.

Rafiki yangu mmoja mwanasheria huko nyumbani (Tanzania) ameninong’oneza kuwa kuna jitihada zinaendelea kumchukulia hatua za kisheria Pinda kutokana na kauli yake hiyo ambayo kimsingi inavunja Katiba ya nchi yetu. Lakini wakati tunasubiri hatua hizo za kisheria- iwapo zitafanikiwa- inabidi ‘tuwe wapole tu’ kwani inaelekea ni wazi kuwa Pinda sio tu hatoomba radhi kwa kauli hiyo ya uvunjifu wa sheria lakini tusitarajie kuona filamu nyingine ya Waziri Mkuu kudondosha chozi la kinafiki.

Na kwa vile majuzi tu tumeshuhudia Rais Kikwete ‘akimzawadia’ Inspekta Jenerali wa Polisi Said Mwema kwa kumwongezea mkataba wa ajira yake licha ya miito mbalimbali kumtaka aachie ngazi kwa kushindwa kazi, ni dhahiri Kikwete sio tu hatomkemea Pinda bali hatomwajibisha pia.

Japo hakuna ushahidi wa moja kwa moja unaoweza kumhusisha Kikwete na chuki za wazi za baadhi ya viongozi wa serikali (kwa mfano Waziri William Lukuvi na Steven Wassira) au CCM (kwa mfano Nape Nnauye na Mwigulu Nchemba), ukimya wake katika kukemea matamshi yao unaweza kuashiria kuwa anaafikiana nao kama sio anayewatuma kutoa matamshi hayo ya chuki (kwa mfano kuituhumu CHADEMA kuwa inahusika na tukio la milipuko kwenye mkutano wake huko Arusha).

Pinda aombe msamaha (na siamini kuwa atafanya hivyo) au akae kimya, Kikwete amwajibishe (pia sioni hili kutokea) au amwache tu, Pinda achukuliwe hatua za kisheria au aachwe tu, ukweli mchungu unabaki kuwa kauli hiyo ya Waziri Mkuu ina madhara makubwa na huenda tukaanza kuyashuhudia hivi karibuni tu. Na madhara hayo si kwa raia tu bali hata kwa polisi wenyewe maana kama Pinda ameruhusu polisi kupiga raia ni wazi pia raia watajiruhusu wenyewe kujilinda dhidi ya vipigo vya polisi. Huu sio uchochezi bali ni ukweli usioepukika.

Nimalizie makala hii kwa kumwomba Rais Kikwete na Waziri Mkuu Pinda kuisoma mojawapo katika gazeti la Guardian la hapa Uingereza inayoeleza kuwa licha ya maendeleo ya teknolojia kuwa nyenzo muhimu kwa umma kupambana na tawala dhalimu, wananchi katika nchi mbalimbali duniani sasa wana uelewa mkubwa kuhusu nguvu za dola (power) na jinsi zinavyotumika isivyo (abuse) kiuchumi na kisiasa.

Natoa wito kwa Balozi wa Marekani nchi Tanzania, Alfonso Lenherdt, kumfikishia ujumbe Rais Barack Obama anayetarajiwa kuzuru nchi yetu wiki ijayo, kuhusu ukiukwaji mkubwa wa haki za binadamu (kama unavyothibitishwa na kauli ya Pinda) sambamba na kukua kwa tishio la ugaidi huku serikali ikionekana kuzembea kuchukua hatua mwafaka. Wakati takriban kila Mtanzania anasikia fahari kwa Rais Obama kuzuru Tanzania, ni matarajio ya wengi kuwa kiongozi huyo wa taifa lenye nguvu kubwa kabisa duniani, na muumini wa haki za binadamu na uhuru wao atawakumbusha watawala wetu juu ya haja na umuhimu wa kuzingatia masuala hayo muhimu (haki na uhuru wa binadamu).

Thursday, 27 June 2013

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.Picha kwa Hisani ya MILLARD AYO

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

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The Committee to Protect Journalists wrote to U.S. President Barack Obama ahead of his meetings with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete next week to ask that he bring up the critical importance of press freedom to economic development and democracy.
cpj_logo


June 25, 2013
His Excellency Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
White House
Via facsimile: +1 202-456-2461
Dear President Obama:
Ahead of your first trip to East Africa, we would like to bring to your attention the deteriorating state of press freedom in Tanzania. In your meetings with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, we ask that you discuss the critical importance of press freedom to economic development and democracy.
In the past year, CPJ has documented a rise in threats and attacks against journalists in Tanzania. In September 2012, CPJ documented the first work-related journalist killing in the country since we began keeping detailed records in 1992. Police shot at point-blank range Daudi Mwangosi, reporter for TV Channel 10, after the journalist confronted them over the arrest of another reporter. A junior officer was arrested, but several other officers seen as being involved have not been held accountable. Another journalist, Issa Ngumba, was found dead from gunshot wounds in January. CPJ is investigating to determine if the murder was related to his coverage of local farming issues. No one has been arrested.
In addition, several journalists have been attacked in connection with their work. In March, unknown assailants attacked Absalom Kibanda, chairman of Tanzanian Editor's Forum and managing editor of the New Habari media company, leaving the critical columnist with severe injuries. No one has been arrested. Local journalists also said they have often been threatened by officials and high-ranking businessmen via text messages, emails, or intermediaries. Reporters based outside the capital, Dar es Salaam, are often targeted, the sources said.
This new trend of attacks against the press in Tanzania occurs against a backdrop of restrictive anti-press laws. One of them, the 1976 Newspaper Act, which allows the information minister discretionary powers to suspend publications, was used to ban the leading independent weekly Mwanahalisi in July 2012. The constitution includes at least 16 other anti-press laws that have induced journalists to practice self-censorship, our research shows.
Tanzanian authorities said they would present a new press bill this year that would eliminate legislation that censors or restricts the press. But the contents of the bill have been kept from the public, and local and regional media outlets have said they fear renewed anti-press legislation.
As you know, the Tanzanian government is one of five African nations that signed on to your Open Government Partnership Initiative, a multilateral effort to promote transparency. Tanzania cannot uphold its obligation given the current media climate of threats against the press and existing restrictive legislation. Economic development that benefits Tanzanian citizens can only occur in a system in which officials are held accountable by a free and vibrant press.
Tanzanian journalists are working in a highly restrictive media environment and are being attacked with impunity. We ask that you urge President Kikwete to promote media freedom in the country, without which vibrant democracy and economic development cannot exist.
Sincerely,
Joel Simon
Executive Director

CC List:
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, President of Tanzania
H.E. Mwanaidi S. Maajar, Ambassador of Tanzania to the United States of America
H.E. Alfonso E. Lenhardt, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of Tanzania
Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, Head of the Delegation of European Union to the Republic of Tanzania
John Kerry, Secretary of State for the United States of America
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs for the United States of America
Dr. Fenella Mukandara, Minister of Information of the Republic of Tanzania
Pansy Tlakula, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Reginald Mengi, Chairman of the Media Association of Tanzania
Dr. Jeffrey Ashley, USAID / East Africa Mission Director
Kajubi Mukajanga, Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania
Mohamed Tibanyendera, Chairman of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, Tanzania
Ernest Sungura, Executive Director of the Tanzania Media Fund


The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon Bernard Membe has paid tribute to the ailing South African Father of the Nation, Mr Nelson Mandela saying Africa and the world still needs a healthy Mandela and his wisdom.

Speaking in a live Radio Clouds interview in Dar es alaam yesterday the Minister said Mr Mandela is one of the statesman on record for devising a successful peace and reconciliation with people who jailed him for nearly three decades.

"The world needs Mandela and pray to God for his quick recovery" the Minister noted in the Clouds' most popular program ' power breakfast'.

The Minister also said in the next one week Tanzania is going to host three major events, starting with the Smart partnership dialogue, the historic visit of the US President, Baraka Obama and First ladies Summit to be attended by George W. Bush, the former US President and his wife Laura.

Source: Mr Assah Mwambene, Director of Tanzania Information Service (Maelezo)/ Government Spokesman


Tuesday, 25 June 2013

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Picha kwa hisani ya MILLARD AYO

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